cli-chat

README

Terminal Chat As Isomorphic Client Application

The isomorphic client combines backend and frontend as well as an interactive command line with a framework for multi-client testing, and a chat as an example application.

The backend consists of three layers or services, respectively,

• the bootstrap layer with the bootstrap API
• the memberlist layer using memberlist, an implementation of the SWIM++ protocol
• the application layer providing a chat as an example

All layers provide a set of commands to interact with the frontend.

The frontend is a terminal UI with access to the commands of the backend and a simple scripting engine. Additionally, it acts as a client for multi-client testing.

Usage of the application command

You can start the application in test mode or as fully initialized chat. The state after the test depends on its commands. Only in the test mode, you do have access on the test related commands. All other commands are always accessible.

usage: 	 ./cli-chat [-test [-testfile=<filename>]] [-logfile=<filename> | -logfile=/dev/null] <name>

Start the chat normally

Providing only your nickname the chat starts all up silently.

./cli-chat alice

Start the chat from scratch interactively

To start without any initialization, you use the test mode with an empty test.

./cli-chat -test -testfile=empty.cmd alice

Now, you can start step by step or play as wanted.

Create your memberlist node

• /memberlistconfigure creates a memberlist configuration
• /memberlistcreate creates the memberlist specified by the configuration

Get, and possibly join, the bootstrap peers

• /bootstrapjoin joins calling peer to bootstrap peers

Join the memberlist

• /memberliststart starts broadcasting between the members
• /memberlistjoin joins bootstrap peers to memberlist

Join the chat and say hi

• /chatstart start chat listener and join the chat
• /msg hi send a message to all chat members

See all available commands

• /help shows commands and descriptions

HELP.md shows the complete help as well.

Leave the cli-tool

• /quit does a soft shutdown
• /exit does a hard exit